The joyous declaration at Christ’s birth proclaimed love, peace and joy. It was the magnificent prelude to a mighty shout, “Justice has been brought through to victory. It is finished!” Or is it?

Lately instead of echoing “It is finished!“, I have been asking “Is it finished?”

“Where is the victory?
Where can justice be found?”

Both triumph and struggle mark my daily reality. The battle within and around me is often intense. I see defeat in lives around me. I hear pain in weighted voices while mock smiles camouflage hurting hearts.

Matthew echoes Isaiah’s prophecy of Jesus,

“I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.”Matthew 12:18

Through His life and death, Jesus completed this and over 300 other prophecies.”…the odds of anyone fulfilling this amount of prophecy are staggering. Mathematicians put it this way: 1 person fulfilling 8 prophecies = 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000; 1 person fulfilling 48 prophecies = 1 chance in 10 to the 157th power; 1 person fulfilling 300+ prophecies = Only Jesus!”

In His own words, Jesus says,

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come.
I did not come to abolish the law of Moses
or the writings of the prophets.
No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”Matthew 5:17

The World

The original quote in Isaiah puts it this way,

“A bruised reed he will not break
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bringforth justice,
he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.”
Isaiah 42:3,4

Without question, Jesus has the power and ability to use force to break the bruised or snuff out those whose passion has grown cold. Yet, “he will not”! Three times Isaiah declares this truth, “he will not!”

If Jesus came as a baby over two thousand years ago to “establish justice on the earth”, I’m sorry, but it is hard to see! The rich become richer and the poor poorer. Horrific levels of injustice and discrimination flourish unchecked in nation after nation. In cultures void of God consciousness or respect for life, justice appears absent.

Regardless of what I witness around me, Jesus completely fulfilled the mandate of establishing justice on earth.

Finished

Connie Inglis, an Inscribe writer, reminded me of another three point emphasis. The Greek root wordtelosis used, not just once, but three times in reference to Jesus’ death on the cross.

“Later, knowing that
all was now completed (teleō),
and so that the Scripture
would be fulfilled (teleioō),
Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty’ …
When he had received the drink,
Jesus said, ‘It is finished (teleō).’
With that, he bowed his head
and gave up his spirit.”
John 19:28, 30

Powerful words! Completed! Fulfilled! Finished! When the writers of scripture stated something three times they were giving it the strongest possible emphasis. Like a holy shout, they were ensuring we wouldn’t miss the point.

It is finished!

“When you were dead in your sins
and in the uncircumcision of your flesh,
God made you alive with Christ.”
Colossians 2:13-15

Since the fall of Adam, sin holds all mankind in the legal grip of death. Through Christ alone, the dead receive life! It is finished!

“He forgave us all our sins,
having cancelled the charge
of our legal indebtedness,
which stood against us and condemned us’
he has taken it away,
nailing it to the cross.”Colossians 2:14

All righteousness has been fulfilled! Jesus paid the price for our freedom, not just from sin, but from the resulting guilt and shame. The cross is more than enough. Salvation is complete in Him!

“And having disarmed
the powers and authorities,
he made a public spectacle of them,triumphing over them by the cross.”Colossians 2:15

What was the final act of justice? While Satan powerfully bruised Jesus’ heal, Jesus crushed his head inflicting a fatal blow. Through the cross, Jesus executed judgment on our enemy creating a path for complete restoration for each of us.

Follow Through

“It is finished!” Everything Jesus came to do, he accomplished!

Now it is our turn! God desires justice, fully and freely blended with mercy, to influence every person and invade every area of our planet. Today! Here! Now!

“This is what the LORD Almighty said:
Administer true justice, show mercy
and compassion to one another.”Zechariah 7:9

Mercy, (Hebrew – hesed) refers to active care. It is loving kindness and compassion demonstrated. Justice (Hebrew – tsadaq) refers more to fair treatment and equity. Mercy and justice partner together, like the left and right hand working in unison.

“Mercy is like the ambulance at the bottom of a cliff,
ready to help those who fall off.
Justice builds a fence at the top of the cliff
to protect them from falling in the first place.
Mercy wipes the tears from the eyes.
Justice asks, “Why are you crying?”
Mercy welcomes the hungry
to gather around God’s banqueting table.
Justice addresses why
some are under the table aching of hunger…
Mercy seeks and saves those lost in darkness.
Justice asks, “Why is it dark? Who is keeping it dark?”

Continuous Completion

In the Greek, the verb choice for “finished” is in perfect tense. It is a past action but the effect of it continues into the present. Whenever the broken are made whole, the lost welcomed home, the sick healed, relationships restored, tormented minds find peace, “it is finished” again, and again, and yet again… The past action of Christ’s finished work continues unending!

This past year alone I witnessed the continuing triumph through Christ at work as

people discovered personal relationship with Jesus,
many set free from destructive
or addictive behaviours,
traumas erased, lies exposed and minds set at peace,
medically confirmedmiracles occurred:brain lesions from Multiple Sclerosis disappeared;
“frozen shoulder” instantly healed;
unborn baby without a heartbeat born healthy;
those unable to conceive conceiving;cancer disappearing;
and so much more!

When we welcome Jesus into a situation, He comes in triumph! The answers don’t always look like we hope or expect, but Christ is the answer for every hopeless situation.

Victory Triumphs

Jesus carried “justice through to victory.” His work is complete, fulfilled and finished! Our work, through the Holy Spirit, as we follow in His footsteps, continues! Finished but ongoing!

“…And this is the secret:Christ lives in you.
This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.”Colossians 1:27

A call resounds for the church to rise. As she awakens from her slumber embracing the mandate of mercy and justice, we will witness on earth the impact of what legally has been completely in the heavenly realm. Oh that Christ would receive the glory for everything He accomplished at the cross.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.”Micah 6:8

Celebration of advent, the arrival of the long awaited Messiah, closed the year! Yet, Jesus’ coming announced the dawn of a new era, bringing justice and hope for all. His life and death shakes the earth, even now, with divine authority setting this upside down world right side up.

An awareness of good and evil resides in us all; with that knowledge comes a tendency toward judgmental attitudes. God calls us to three godly principles: justice, mercy and humility. Personally, justice dominates; mercy is lacking, while true humility is a work in progress.

I was chatting with a preschool teacher a little while ago. She was welcoming new students into her class. They are rapidly learning the behavioural expectations of their new environment. The older students are quick to inform her when one of her new charges is going astray.

We chuckled at how easy it is to point out someone else’s faults, even though it may be the only moment in the entire day when we ourselves are actually obeying. It isn’t just children that fall into this trap!

“He has shown you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”Micah 6:8

He Has Shown You

What does justice look like where the guilty face the consequences of their actions, while victims are restored their rights and dignity?

God has made the distinction between right and wrong clear in His word and even within our hearts. Before we allow intellectual reasoning unruly access, God’s requirements are obvious, even as these little preschoolers demonstrate.

Act Justly

Justice is an action! It is something one pursues and does!

“But you must return to your God;maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.”Hosea 12:6

I immediately want justice when it is me that has faced offense or some kind of violation, even is minor. Yet, when I have crossed the boundaries of honour into the quick-sand of indifferent regard, I’m not so fast to press for that same justice.

Hypocritical? Yes!

The only way justice truly works is when it is mixed with a healthy dose of mercy. The two form the right and left hand of godliness.

“This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice;show mercy and compassion to one another.”Zechariah 7:9

Love Mercy

“Righteousness and justice
are the foundation of your throne.”

That is a verse I have quoted many times; perhaps I should say, misquoted in part! Usually this is as far as I would go! I honestly did not know the rest of the verse by memory. How about you?

“…mercy and loving-kindness and truth go before You.”

Often when God talks about justice, He immediately adds mercy! I must remember that mercy is first of all a matter of the heart, “love mercy.”

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.For the Lord is a God of justice.Blessed are all who wait for him!”Isaiah 30:18

Walk Humbly

I may seem innocent and humble in my own eyes, at least until the Holy Spirit speaks!

The more Holy Spirit uncovers the secret thoughts and condition of my heart, the more disgusting I find it is.

“The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked: who can know it?“ Jeremiah 17:9

Who truly “knows” my heart? The answer is, God does. Yet, He is willing to look inside and show me the contaminated contents as well.

If my heart lies, I will know it; if my heart accuses, I will know that too; but if my heart is deceived, I will not know it unless God reveals it. It is through humility that lies, accusations and even deceptions are revealed for what they truly are.

We can sometimes misinterpret humility as weakness; it is in fact stronger than justice and mercy combined.

It is humility that keeps my proud nose pointed in the right direction recognizing my own need for transformation, rather than blindly upward. One of the toughest places to demonstrate true humility is in the face of injustice, where the cup of love of mercy appears empty.

Requirements of Humility, Mercy and Justice

Actually, when I reverse the order and put humility first, when I recognize my security in the Father and Christ in me, humility begins to flow rather naturally. Humility, mercy and justice are more than requirements, they are release agents of God’s goodness.

Arrogance has not room in the Presence of God – none! Out of the relationship of love and mercy, love and mercy finds a free flowing channel to influence others. This sweet delicate flow makes wrong things right! Justice begins to naturally invade attitudes and circumstances.

No matter which way you say it – justice, mercy and humility, or humility, mercy and justice – they form a torpedo sandwich catapulting a powerful momentum of strength and dignity into our lives and the lives of those around us.

A requirement is something that is most needed and wanted; it is a necessary condition. God who made us in His own image, says justice, mercy and humility are necessary ingredients for us to re-present Him to our wounded world.

Necessary? Yes!

Wanted? Yes, Lord!

May my life be one that actively pursues justice, generously loves and consistently extends mercy, and gently walks in humility, that I might pattern Christ more fully.

These qualities, however, were not functioning freely within Jude’s audience. Quite the contrary! In wisdom, Jude speaks these redemptive words over their lives.

Just like the leaders in my life, Jude brings correction bluntly yet filled with grace. Such is Jude’s brevity and urgency as he speaks. His words emulate mercy, peace and love.

Verse eleven resounds clearly

“Woe to them!
They have taken the way of Cain; they have
rushed for profit into Balaam’s error;
they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.”

What are the core attitudes and attributes of these three men that deserves a “woe”? It is an important question to ask since…

“Now these things happened to them
as an example,
but they were written down for our instruction…”
I Corinthians 10:11

Cain

Like many brothers, Cain and Abel were different in occupation, attitude and worship. The full story is in Genesis 4. They both worked hard and gave God from their labours. What is the way of Cain?

Lacked Faith – Hebrews 11:4 explains that Abel’s offering was better because it was given in faith. Faith and obedience are inseparable. It may not make sense to us why God chooses a certain way, but obedience walks through faith. Abelprepared himself as well as his offering; Cain prepared an offering without preparing himself.

Rage and Indignation – “furious and despondent” (HCSB), “upset and depressed” (ISV), “angry and downcast” (NET). Cain’s name, “a man from the Lord”, shows his favoured family position. Abel’s name means “breath or vapour,” as if it was prophetically given to the shortness of a life unfulfilled. Favoured children find it difficult to come in second!

Unrepentant – We all make mistakes and err; the frailty of humanity rests on us all. How will we respond when correction comes?

“…sin is crouching at your door it desires to have you,
but you must rule over it.”
Genesis 4: 7

God’s opportunity for a second chance went unheeded! Cain was on a path of doing things his own way right to the end, refusing to humble himself before God or others.

Balaam

Balaam was a recognized diviner or prophet who clearly heard from God. The king of Moab was willing to pay him a hefty sum of money if he would curse Israel. Balaam’s words could not be bought! Seven times he spoke blessing on God’s people and cursed their enemies. Certainly not what the king of Moab was wanting to hear! (Numbers 22 – 24)

“Balak’s anger burned against Balaam.
He struck his hands together and said…
“…leave at once and go home!
I said I would reward you handsomely,
but the LORD has kept you from being rewarded.”
…Then Balaam got up and returned home, and Balak went his own way.”
Numbers 24: 10, 11, 25

Greed – At first glance, it appears Balaam was God’s voice of the hour. However, Balaam’s heart and eyes were on the reward. He was not about to miss out. Jude says he “rushed for profit“!

“…followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor,
who loved to earn money by doing wrong.”
2 Peter 2:15″

Perverted Gift – Balaam used his reputation as diviner and his spiritual gift for personal reward and advancement. He devised a plan to wound and destroy God’s chosen people.

“…There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam,
who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin
so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.”
Revelation 2:14

Korah

How can someone be so right yet so wrong?

“The whole community is holy,
every one of them and the LORD is with them..”
Numbers 16:3

Yes God’s directive was “be holy as I am holy.” Right precept with a wrong attitude!

Envious – There grew in Korah and those he lead a desire to possession a level of leadership that belonged to others. They failed to realize leadership isn’t self-appointed!

“In the camp they grew envious of Moses and of Aaron,
who was consecrated to the LORD.”Psalms 106:16

Insolent – NIV version says, “they became insolent“. This rude and arrogantlack of respect didn’t happen overnight. It was a walk down an ever darkening tunnel.

Defiance of Authority

” We will not come!….you also want to lord it over us? Moreover, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey…” Numbers 16: 12-14

Our Words

Jude was addressing a problem with false teachers that infiltrated the group. Teachers teach through words and actions.

Words are powerful containing both life and death,

“The tongue can bring death or life;
those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”Proverbs 18:21

All three men confirmed with their mouths what was in their hearts. Through their mouths came death!

Jude, the half-brother of Jesus, calls us to better. He calls us to words and conduct flooded with “mercy, peace and love.”

(Picture from Pinterest – Kindness Matters)

Mercy, Peace and Love

Jude answers the how question for us. We find mercy, peace and love in one place!

“…by building yourselves us in your most holy faith
and pray in the Holy Spirit,
keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy
of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”
(vs 20-21)

Today is a new day! A day of placing ourselves into His faithful hands.

The hands of His great mercy,
His indescribable peace,
and His incomprehensible love.

_________

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